


Letting Go and Moving On

by GothAlbinoAngel



Category: Vocaloid
Genre: Child Abuse, F/F, Homelessness, Homophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-03-03 20:38:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2886755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothAlbinoAngel/pseuds/GothAlbinoAngel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twenty-year-old Luka has been out on the streets for quite some time. However, things change when a recruiter for the biggest media company in Japan wants her to join the business. Slowly, Luka gets reacquainted with living inside, gaining new friends and even a girlfriend. However, Luka has a secret that's eating her up on the inside. Can Miku, Lily and the others get her to open up about her past before the trauma haunting Luka finally takes her over the edge?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introducing...

**Author's Note:**

> My greatest apologies to anyone who begins reading this and doesn't enjoy it later on. It may seem like I'm pushing my views in your face, but I only write what comes to mind. Still, I hope you enjoy the story nonetheless and I'm even more sorry to the people who didn't see the trigger warnings above. 
> 
> Child abuse, extreme homophobia, parental abandonment (not by choice).

It was cold when she woke up. Of course it was, summer was beginning to draw to a close, so the weather was changing. Shivering on the cold asphalt, she pushed herself to her feet and glanced around. It didn’t look like anyone had found her little cove this time, which meant she could return once she had finished her day.

 _Time to start the day._ she inwardly sighed, brushing herself off and moving across the alley. Picking up the broken comb she had found in a bin not too long ago, she began untangling as much of the knots in her hair as she could. Finishing with her hair, she wandered over to a puddle and splashed some water on her hands to clean them before doing the same with her face. Hair combed and face washed, she scraped at the plaque on her teeth to clean them as much as she could and nodded to herself.

 _Time to go hunting for breakfast._ She slipped from the alley and moved along the shadows, not wanting to run into anyone she might have known.

 _I doubt they remember me now._ She snorted bitterly. _It’s been five years since **it** happened. Not even **she** would remember me if she saw me._

Ducking into an alley near her own, she glanced around for the usual trash bins. This place was wider than the others around because it was host to a restaurant on one side. Hoisting herself up, she dove into one of the large bins and looked around. The bugs were at a minimum today, which meant it would be easier to find a meal. Rummaging around, she smiled when she found a sandwich someone was too full to eat.

Climbing from the bin once more, she stole away with her prize, returning to her makeshift home and settling down to eat. It was her lucky day too; the sandwich was _tuna!_ Mouth watering, she sank her teeth into her favorite snack, savoring this rarity. A treat like this only came once a year, after all.

As she was licking the last of the delicacy from her lips, she glanced over and spotted a man walking near her alley. He didn’t seem threatening, so she refrained from warding him off her temporary territory. He passed by and she relaxed, laying back and beginning to hum a melody she remembered from one of her favorite artists. After a while, her lips parted and she began to sing

**_…_ **

“If you don’t recruit someone within the next week, you’re fired!” He stared at his boss in puzzlement. How was he fired after something like that? It was difficult recruiting people. Not everyone was fine with strangers approaching them off the street and giving them a card.

However, he knew his argument would be overlooked and so nodded, his head hanging. “Yes, sir.” he murmured docilely.

“Good. Now get out there and do your job.”

He turned and left his boss’ office. Sighing wearily, he headed for his own, grabbing a few cards. At the very least, he would get a few people who were singing. People enjoyed singing near the end of summer.

Donning his standard pair of sunglasses, he made his way out into the streets and began walking. Normal places to find singers would be cafes or somewhere people go with their friends. Heading to the nearest coffee shop, he moved to the counter and ordered a frozen caramel latte.

Taking a seat and waiting for his drink to be brought to him, he glanced out the window, seeing plenty of people walk past. He knew that he could simply walk up to any of them and offer them the job, but if their voice proved to be undesirable, he would lose his job for sure.

 _Why can’t recruiting new media artists be simple?_ he wondered with a sigh. _There are plenty of talented people out there, but they never show their talent. Those that do are usually gone within a few years. The company needs someone that will last a while._

A pretty waitress brought over his drink and he tipped her for it with a smile before making his way back out onto the streets. _I suppose I could always look on the internet._ he mused, sipping his drink casually, gazing at the people around him. _But that’s usually fruitless. I need a voice that’s new, exciting, energizing…_

He suddenly paused mid-step. Someone was humming nearby. As he listened, he smiled and turned. The person that was humming slowly but surely began to sing. And what he heard was absolutely what he had been looking for. It was perfect.

He had found his new voice.

 


	2. Offered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luka gets propositioned by a strange man looking for talent. Will she take the offer?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now the story can finally pick up. Enjoy.

Luka rocked her head to the beat as she let the lyrics slip from her lips. She sang whenever there was a lull in her day and it usually made her feel better to sing as she used to. Singing had always been something that lifted her heart when she was feeling low and now was no exception. Letting the tune swirl around her, the pinkette felt it wrap her in a calming blanket, as if things weren’t as bad as they seemed.

Luka stopped abruptly, her head whipping around as she heard someone coming closer. The man stared at her in shock, making the pinkette feel self-conscious. Baring her teeth, she growled, “Can I help you?”

The man took a moment to compose himself before asked, “Was that you singing? Just now?”

Luka eyed him suspiciously before replying, “There’s no one else around so I suppose so.”

The man cleared his throat and offered her a smile. “I’ve been looking for someone with a new voice and I think yours is quite unique. What’s your name?”

“Luka.”

“Well, Luka, if you’re willing, I can offer you a job.”

“Doing what?” the pinkette cocked her head curiously.

“Singing.” the man stated calmly, removing a card from his pocket. “I work for a company that specializes in producing media artists, singers being among the top priorities.” He handed the card to her. “If ever you want to have somewhere warm to sleep and nice meal, just go to the address on the card and ask for me, alright?”

Luka slowly took the card from him and nodded, watching him walk away. Glancing down, the pinkette stared at the card with interest.

 **CRYPTON FUTURE MEDIA**  
7-1-5 Sufer’s Paradise  
Yamaha, 170-3293

 ** _Hiyama Kiyoteru_**  
 _Media Artist Recruitor_  
Tel: 914-242-1012 Fax: 914-242-1312 Cell: 914-368-2812  
[hiya_teru@cfm.org  
](mailto:hiya_teru@cfm.org)[www.cfm.org/audition](http://www.cfm.org/audition)

She remembered Crypton. They were one of the largest producers of actors, singers and other performers in the world. _And one of their recruiter’s wants me?_ Luka snorted derisively. _Maybe he’s having an off week and thought I might be worthwhile. I doubt when he gets a better look at me he’ll want me to stay._

Sighing to herself, Luka continued with her day, laying back on the gravel as she tried to think of other ways to find a job. _I don’t see how I could get a job anywhere else_. she thought wearily. _No one will even let me get an application if they see how I look and there’s no where for me to go._

Glancing to the card in her hand, Luka wondered if it was really worth it to try her hand at the man’s offer. Shaking her head with a scoff, the pinkette put the card into the pocket of her thin jacket and stood, going out in search of lunch and possibly dinner as well. _Hopefully the bugs haven’t taken all of the good stuff._

_**…** _

Kiyoteru drove back to Crypton and sighed as he made his way up to his office. The woman he had seen was interesting to say the least. She had a wonderful voice, husky and slightly deep, definitely deeper than their top idol’s. However, when he had found her, he had been… quite surprised. She looked to be fairly young, no older than twenty-one was his guess, and an absolute mess as well.

 _Is she homeless?_ he wondered to himself, settling behind his desk to draw up a contract for this possible new recruit. _If so, it would possibly be in her best interest to take the offer I gave her. I know she probably won’t think it’s much, but once she gets here, I can explain the extent of things. With a little luck, she’ll take the offer and be here in less than a week. After all, it’s going to be getting cold soon…_

This actually caused him to flinch. The woman had seemed hostile, but that’s probably due to experience out on the streets. She most likely only seemed wary of him because she perceived him as a possible threat, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t a nice person. He didn’t like seeing anyone out on the streets and it made his heart ache for the woman to know that it was cold and she didn’t have anywhere to go.

Sighing, he stood and made his way down the hall. He needed to see an old friend so she could cheer him up. Making his way to the next floor up, Kiyoteru knocked at a large black door.

“Come in!” came the call from inside.

Kiyoteru opened the door and was greeted with a large smile. “Teru-kun!” the woman behind the desk cheered happily. “How are you?”

“A little worried.” he replied with a weary sigh.

“Oh?” she indicated the chair in front of her desk. “Care to talk about it? I have tea.”

“That would be lovely, thank you.” Kiyoteru settled into the chair opposite his comrade and waited for her to bring over a cup of the warm drink. He watched as she put ice cubes in her own and chuckled. “Still putting ice in your tea?”

“I’m anemic.” the woman shrugged. “And I have an odd craving for ice when I haven’t eaten beef in quite some time.”

Kiyoteru nodded and sighed. The woman’s eyes zeroed in on him and she cocked her head. “What’s on your mind?” she inquired calmly.

“Your eyes.” the tall man lied. “How do you get two eyes and have both of them have two different colors? Green with a blue ring around them isn’t rare, but green with _two_ different blue rings? That’s ridiculous.”

“Teru-kun.” the woman said firmly. “You came here because you were worried and I know it isn’t about why my eyes are three different colors. What’s on your mind?”

Kiyoteru gave a soft laugh and sighed again. “I just found someone with a new voice.”

“Really?” This made his companion sit up straighter.

“Yes. I found her out on the streets, obviously. She had a voice I haven’t heard before and I thought it would be best to talk to her about joining Crypton.”

“Did she take it?”

“I don’t know if she will.” Kiyoteru’s shoulders slumped. “I’m hoping she does, though. It’s going to be getting cold soon and I want her to have a place to stay.”

The woman’s eyebrow raised in confusion and her mind took a few seconds to catch up before her eyes widened. “She’s… homeless?”

“I think so.”

“Well, I know your judgement fairly well by now.” the woman told him. “And you wouldn’t have given her your card if you thought she wouldn’t be the type to take the job. She must be a smart one too.” She gave him a reassuring smile and leaned forward to tap his nose affectionately. “She’ll be here. And if she’s not here before your deadline, I’ll just have a talk with dad to keep you here until she does show up.”

Kiyoteru smiled and stood, taking his teacup with him. “Thanks so much for making me feel better, nee-san.”

“No problem, Teru-kun.” The woman sent him a grin. “What else am I here for?”

“Aggression and force when people don’t want to leave.” Kiyoteru joked automatically, earning a laugh.

“I want my teacup back later!” the woman called as he left.

“You’ll get it back when she arrives.” Kiyoteru replied.

“I’m holding you to that.”

“You got it, Tenshi-nee.”

Making his way back to his office, Kiyoteru felt his spirits lifted and began work on the contract once more, one thing on his mind. _Luka..._

**_…_ **

Luka shivered and wrapped her jacket tighter around herself. The days had gotten much colder since the day the man had come to give her his card. There had been frost gathering on the ground when she awoke that morning and her fingers and toes were numb from the cold.

 _I might actually get frostbite this year._ She thought absently, rubbing her hands together and blowing on them to try to gain some warmth. She had skipped breakfast that day since it had been trash day and the dumpsters were empty by the time she woke up.

Glancing around at her cove, Luka felt a pang of sadness and sighed, taking the card from her jacket pocket. _It’s not too far away._ she thought to herself. _And worse comes to worse, I’ll be in a warm building for at least five minutes before they call security to kick me out all over again._

Nodding to herself in the affirmative, Luka stood and gathered what little belongings she had. Her broken comb was the only thing she had that wasn’t already on her body. Slipping it into her pocket, Luka set out for the address on the card.

Keeping to the shadows so as not to draw attention to herself, Luka stealthily made her way along the streets. Shops along the sidewalks called her name, their scents filling the air and making the pinkette’s mouth water. If she did get kicked out of Crypton, she was going to make a mental note to return to this street and scavenge what she could. Licking her lips thinking about it, Luka continued on her way.

Finally, she arrived at the street she was supposed to be on and glanced around, spotting a large building at the address she was meant to be at. Looking to it curiously, the pinkette found that it looked similar to a hotel. _Maybe they bought out the hotel owners and made it into a business building?_ she wondered absently as she walked to the stairs.

It was about then that worry clouded her mind and Luka wondered if this was a good idea. She remembered when _it_ happened. What if this place was torn from her as well? Not in the same way as when _it_ happened, obviously, but it was still a very real possibility. _Come on, Luka._ she berated herself. _Man up, you can do this_. Taking a deep breath, Luka placed her hand against the door and opened it, moving forward and wondering what would welcome her.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering what Kiyoteru's card looked like, I have a picture of it on my deviantart page. I'm under the username xxKittenspidermonkey.


	3. Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luka and Kiyoteru discuss the rules of Crypton and Luka gets herself a shiny new contract

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the honorifics RETURN!

Trudging into the building, Luka glanced around in awe. It had been a long time since she had been anywhere near as clean as this place. People came and went occasionally, some of them with microphones or drawings and others in business suits. Hoping none of them took notice of her, Luka made her way over to the reception desk.

“Hello!” the woman at the desk said without looking up. “How may I-oh.” The woman had turned from her computer and caught sight of the woman standing behind her.

Luka cringed. She was used to this reaction, but it still hurt to see people do it without even knowing her first. “H-hi.” she said softly. “I’m here to speak with a Mr. Hiyama Kiyoteru?”

“I’ll call up and tell him you’re waiting, Miss…?”

“Luka.” the pinkette answered. The receptionist nodded and turned to the phone, gesturing to the sitting area for Luka to relax at while waiting. Luka nodded and moved to the area, settling on the floor so as not to ruin the obviously expensive furniture.

She could see the receptionist whispering feverishly on the phone and knew the woman was describing her appearance to Kiyoteru. _Will he even remember me?_ Luka wondered. _He probably talks to tons of homeless people who can sing. Why would I be any different?_

A few moments after the receptionist hung up the phone, the door to the stairwell opened, making Luka jump. She turned to find Kiyoteru standing in the doorway, out of breath but smiling brightly at her. Taking deep breaths, the tall man strode over.

“Luka-san!” he greeted her. “It’s wonderful to see you again. Have you considered my offer?”

“Yeah.” the pinkette nodded.

“Fantastic! Shall we head to my office to work out a contract and then get you a nice shower and some fresh clothes?” Kiyoteru swept his hand toward the stairs and Luka nodded, following him up to the third floor.

“Only the third?” she asked quizzically.

“I’ll explain everything once we’re in my office.” Kiyoteru told her. “It’s against company policy to talk about things with outsiders unless in one’s office. For privacy reasons or some ridiculous nonsense like that. Here we are.”

He opened a door into a plush brown and black themed office. Luka stepped inside and glanced down at the furry black rug beneath her bare feet. Cringing slightly, she made to step back, but her guide pushed her back.

“Is something wrong?” Kiyoteru inquired, gazing at her worriedly.

“Y-your rug…” Luka explained, glancing down at her dirty feet, which had been leaving prints on the linoleum the entire trip up.

“Don’t worry about the furniture, Luka-san.” the tall man chuckled. “It’s all cleanable, I promise. Please, make yourself at home. From what I gather, this may be quite the talk.”

Slowly, the pinkette settled into the comfortable brown chair in front of the large chestnut desk as Kiyoteru settled behind it. “So tell me, what do you want to know?”

“Why is your office only on the third floor when there looked to be twelve floors?” Luka asked.

“Because the top floors from nine up are reserved for our singers. All singers under Crypton’s name and contract live in the Crypton building. It is high security to prevent kidnappings, break-ins, attempted murders, the like.

“The floors five to eight are reserved for the creation of the music or television show or whatever we’re producing. Production studios, dressing rooms, recording booths, music video green-screens, et cetera are all located on those floors.

“From four down is where management is located. Managers of current singers or actors are located on the fourth floor, recruiters are third floor, company management is on the second floor and everyone else is on the first floor.” Luka nodded.

“If I were to sign a contract right now, would I be able to choose how long it lasted or would the company decide that for me and under what circumstances can it be terminated or extended?”

Kiyoteru smiled. _Cunning girl._ he thought to himself with pride. _She’ll get along great with our top singer. She asked the same questions when I recruited her._

“If you were to sign a contract right now, it is automatically decided by the company. Since most of our primary contracts are generic, all of them are only a year long. You will be able to decide on the length of the contract from then on out.

“Contracts can only be terminated if you violate the conditions within the contracts and in order to extend a contract, you have to meet with your manager at least one day prior to your contract’s expiration so you can go over a new contract.”

The pinkette looked thoughtful for a moment before glancing at him speculatively. “How much of my paycheck goes towards the utilities of living here at Crypton?”

Kiyoteru thought about that a moment. “The last time I checked, we only took five percent of your paycheck to pay utilities for your living conditions here. The higher your check, the better your living conditions. I will warn you that you might start out rooming with someone else, but some of our more famous idols have their own suites on the top floor.”

Luka nodded in understanding and said, “How much do I get paid?”

Here, Kiyoteru brightened, knowing this must have been bugging the woman since she received his offer. “You are given forty percent of all earnings from album sales, thirty percent of all individual song sales, fifty percent of concert sales and forty-five percent of merchandise sales.”

Luka stared at him a moment, doing the math in her head. _That would be four dollars per CD, thirty-three to forty-three cents per song bought, twenty-five thousand dollars per concert and ranging from thirty-three cents to at least forty-five dollars on merchandise. If I sold even one of each every month, that would be twenty-five thousand forty-nine dollars and forty-three cents a month, which is more than enough to get me by._

“Is there anything else I need to know before I sign the contract?” Luka inquired softly, gazing into the soft brown eyes opposite her own.

“Not that I can think of.” Kiyoteru told her, smiling.

“Alright then, let’s draw up a contract.” Luka sighed.

“Once a contract is drawn, I’ll lead you to your new manager and she or he will assign you a mentor to help you learn the ropes of the place. Then we will decide your living conditions, set a date for your audition in front of the songwriters and get you fitted for a stage costume.” The pinkette blinked before nodding.

After roughly half an hour discussing what Crypton expected of all its employees the first year, Luka followed Kiyoteru down the hall and up the flight of stairs to search out a new manager. Her guide stopped in front of a large chart in the middle of the hall and gazed at it a moment. Luka surveyed it and noticed that it involved names and numbers. The numbers weren’t large, only counting as high as thirty. Some of the names had checks up to thirty while others didn’t have any.

“I think you would work best with Hikari Tenshi.” Kiyoteru said after a moment, pointing to a name that didn’t have any checks on it.

“Hikari Tenshi?” Luka asked curiously.

“Yes. Tenshi-nee is hard to get along with at first and may come off as really aggressive and judgmental, but don’t worry, that’s all bark. Unless you hurt someone she considers hers. Then it’s definitely bite. She’s actually a really nice person once you open her up. Kind of moody, but otherwise nice.”

Kiyoteru’s explanation came to an end as they stood outside a large plain black door. Luka glanced to it skeptically, remembering that Kiyoteru’s door had designs on the doorframe.

“She prefers simpler things.” the tall man chuckled, knocking three times on the door.

“Come in!” a voice from inside called.

Kiyoteru opened the door and led Luka inside.


	4. Finding a Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luka meets her new manager and gets a new roommate.

The office was just as simple as the door, but also quite elegant. A dark red carpet, dark purple chairs, a black desk and pitch-black curtains, only one of which was open. In front of the window stood a woman with short curly reddish hair. Her body shape suggested a well-worked muscular form, added by the fact that the sleeves of her suit clung to her arms and outlined them. Luka felt a shiver run down her spine looking at the woman, but felt surprise take over when she turned.

Pale skin covered a long face with green and teal eyes and plump pink lips. The woman turned to Kiyoteru and smiled before turning her curious gaze to Luka. Her eyes narrowed slightly and her lips formed a thin line, an air of dislike exuding from her.

“Is this what you were talking about?” Luka whispered.

“Yes. She’s assessing you outwardly and probably is thinking that you need a bath.” Kiyoteru explained sympathetically. “Let her get to know you before saying you hate her.”

Both turned back to the woman, Hikari Tenshi, who had cocked her head slightly, still surveying Luka. “Now, she’s examining your body shape, physicalities and such. It’s the only way she remembers people since she’s not good with names.”

“Teru-kun?” the woman called. “Who’s your friend?”

“Tenshi-nee, hear her out.” Kiyoteru stated, gesturing for Luka to follow him inside. “This is Luka-san. I heard her singing a few weeks back and invited her to come work for us. I thought she would work well with you and how you tend to do your schedules.”

Tenshi nodded in understanding and turned to the pinkette. “It’s nice to meet you, Luka-san.” she said softly, slowly holding out her hand. Luka took it and the two exchanged a firm handshake that lasted seconds.

“My apologies for making it swift, but I don’t like other people touching me unless I initiate the contact. And I’m not very good with new people, ironically enough.” Tenshi explained. “Do you have a last name, Luka-san?”

The pinkette had expected the question, but it still came as a surprise to hear someone ask her. Her original surname, Inu, didn’t belong to her anymore, so her mind flopped about until it came up with a solution. Remembering an old stage name she used to use with her friends, Luka blurted it out before thinking. “Megurine. Megurine Luka.”

Tenshi hummed thoughtfully for a moment and nodded. “Alright then, Luka-san, I trust Teru-kun has drawn your contract already?”

“Y-yes.” the pinkette replied, relieved they bought it.

“Wonderful. Let’s get you situated then! Teru-kun, you wanna come?”

“Of course.” Kiyoteru replied with a slight shrug. “My job is done for the day after all.”

“And thankfully, mine is finally starting.” Tenshi sighed. “First thing, we need to find Luka-san suitable living quarters.”

“Which floor are you thinking?” Kiyoteru asked.

“Sadly, since she’s new, we’ll have to put her on floor nine. Hopefully, she can build herself up to something more unless she wishes to stay on nine.” Tenshi led them up more stairs and onto the ninth floor.

“Don’t like elevators, either.” the redhead chuckled as she checked the doors. “Hm, Teto-chan moved out last week, but her spot was filled quickly by Seeu-san. Luka-san, do you mind rooming with someone?”

“No.” Luka eagerly replied. She didn’t care so long as she wasn’t living outside.

“Alright, let’s put you with Lily-chan then.” Tenshi decided. “She’s not as new as you, but still pretty new. I believe we only got her a month ago.”

Luka gazed at the white door in front of her with a mix of excitement and apprehension in her stomach. Tenshi knocked three times at the door before tapping out a beat as she waited for someone to answer. From the other side of the door came the shout, “Tenshi-sama, I know that’s you! Stop that noise! I’m coming!”

“Not noise.” Tenshi pouted once the door opened. “Music. It was a rhythm.”

“Well, it woke me up, so to me, it’s noise.” In the doorway stood a blonde woman with hair a little past her waist, wearing a white tank top and a pair of black shorts. “What do you want?”

“We’re giving you a roommate.” Tenshi said simply, ushering Luka forward. Shrewd blue eyes surveyed the pinkette and Luka felt her self-consciousness coming back full force. “Lily-chan, this is Megurine Luka-san, our newest edition. Luka-san, this is your new roommate, Masuda Lily-chan.”

“Nice to meet you.” Lily said, opening the door further. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up. Got a clean set of clothes?”

“No.” Luka responded. Lily hummed softly.

“You can share my closet then, until you get stuff of your own.” Luka’s eyes widened in shock, fully expecting Lily to want to kick her out after finding out she didn’t have other clothing. Kiyoteru and Tenshi chuckled at her dumbfounded expression.

“Lily-chan’s not all that bad.” the redhead told her.

“She’s just like Tenshi-nee.” Kiyoteru agreed. “Tough at first, but softer as time goes on.”

“Go ahead and get yourself cleaned up.” Tenshi urged, turning to walk away. “Come to my office once you’re finished and have had a meal.”

Luka glanced after them before stepping into the suite and looking around. It wasn’t small. There was enough space for a main area, two separate bedrooms on either side and a standard sized bathroom. It was a little messy, but nothing too bad. Lily hadn’t put up any decorations or pictures of any kind, but this didn’t bother the pinkette as she didn’t have anything to put up either.

Lily appeared from one of the bedrooms with a bundle in her arms. Handing the bundle to Luka, the blonde said, “That’s clothing. All the essentials are in there as well. You go ahead and take first shower while I make breakfast.”

“Okay.” Luka slowly walked to the bathroom and laid out the supplies she was given. Lily hadn’t been joking when she said all the essentials. She had even provided her a toothbrush and underclothes that looked to be brand new. Luka felt a smile curl her lips at the other woman’s consideration and turned the shower on to a reasonable temperature. Peeling her dirty clothes off her body, Luka examined her scars for a moment before slowly stepping into the bathtub.

Luka gasped as she stepped under the spray. It was the first time in quite a few years that she had stepped into a shower. She had forgotten how heavenly the water felt, caressing her skin like a warm blanket, the steam surrounding her and lulling her into a state of relaxation.

Falling to her knees, the pinkette felt tears prick her eyes. She bowed her head, placing her chin against her chest as she simply allowed the water to flow over her body and wash away all it could. After letting the spray do its job, Luka reached over and took the soap in her hand, using it and her cloth to wipe the grime from her body.

Standing, Luka grabbed the shampoo, lathering her hair with the liquid and massaging it into her scalp. Leaving the soap in for a moment, Luka took the showerhead and rinsed it from her head. Finishing up cleaning her body, the pinkette shut off the water and reached out for the towel, drying herself as she stepped from the tub. Brushing her teeth and running the comb through her wet hair, Luka slipped into the clothes Lily had given her. It was a white turtleneck and a long black skirt.

Luka smiled softly to herself once she could finally recognize her reflection. Slowly opening the door, she stepped from the bathroom and watched Lily turn. It was comical seeing the blonde’s jaw drop at the sight of her, a reaction Luka hadn’t seen in years.

“Whoa.” Lily breathed, eyeing her appreciatively. “You clean up good.”

“Thanks to you helping me out.” Luka replied softly.

“Nah, don’t mention.” Lily waved her hand. “You need help til you get back on your feet and what kind of roommate would I be if I didn’t offer?”

“Uh…”

“Don’t answer that.” Lily told her with a smile as she flipped something out of a pan on the stove. It was then that Luka realized how hungry she was and her stomach gave a loud growl at the smell permeating the air. Luka blushed in embarrassment as Lily chuckled.

“Hungry, I see.” the blonde chuckled. “When was the last time you had a decent meal?”

Luka thought about that question for a moment before shrugging. That was too far a time ago, when things were simpler. Lily nodded and brought the last plate to the table between the kitchen and the lounge area. Luka took a seat and stared at the assortment before her. Muffins, biscuits, eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes and a bowl of apples were spread in front of her and the pinkette didn’t know what to start with.

Lily set a plate in front of her new roommate with a smirk. “Don’t just sit there, dig in. I did spend time on this after all.”

“Th-thank you.” Luka murmured, reaching for the plate of pancakes. Sliding one onto her plate, she added eggs, bacon and two muffins to her plate, topping the entire thing with syrup. Cutting into her pancake, Luka took the first bite and immediately dug into the rest, devouring it ravenously.

Lily paused as she was finishing her first pancake and stared in shock as the woman across from her tore into her food. Luka was finished within minutes, wiping her mouth with one of the napkins Lily had laid out. The blonde thought this was as good a time as any for her to start up a conversation.

“So, where did Hiyama-sama find you?” Lily asked, chewing a bacon strip.

“Outside.” Luka murmured, ducking her head.

“I kinda got that.” Lily chuckled. “Singing contest? Cafe performance? Strip club? What?”

Luka shook her head. “I was outside on the street.” she clarified, staring at her pancakes.

Lily nodded to that before asking, “How did you end up out on the streets?”

Instantly, Luka’s entire figure stiffened. She flashed back to a time before fighting thugs and shooing cats. A time before the begging and shivering. A time before she slept on the ground and endured cruelty and insults from the general public.

She had a family, she had friends, she had people who loved her. She slept in a bed. She had an older brother, even. She always found a warm meal. But then… _it_ happened. _It_ happened and all of that was taken from her in the blink of an eye.

Luka snapped back to reality as a hand waved in front of her face. “Earth to Luka-san!” Lily called. “You still in there?”

“I would rather not talk about it.” Luka told her, pushing her plate away. She felt nauseous.

“That bad, huh?” Lily sighed. “You know, Crypton will pay for a counselor or something.”

“I _really_ don’t want to talk about it.” the pinkette reiterated.

Lily nodded and glanced to the clock. “Well, you’d better get down to Tenshi-sama’s office. She’ll be expecting you.”

Luka also looked to the clock and realized it was early afternoon. Standing, she smiled at her new roommate. “Thanks for… everything, Lily.”

“No problem.” Lily replied, going back to her breakfast.

Luka made her way down the stairs to the fourth floor and looked around for the simple black door. Finding it easily enough, she hesitantly knocked and waited for permission to enter.

“Come in!” Tenshi called.

Luka slowly opened the door and stepped inside. The three people inside had the same reactions as Lily, jaws dropping as they surveyed her. Luka felt a blush climb to her cheeks and she shifted uncomfortably. “Hello, Tenshi-sama.” she breathed softly.

Tenshi blinked a moment before smiling gently at the pinkette. “How are you feeling, Luka-san?” she inquired cheerfully.

“Good.” Luka responded. “I just ate and had my first shower in years.”

“Wonderful!” Kiyoteru cheered, beaming at her. “If you’re ready, we want to assign you a mentor.”

“A mentor?” Luka asked curiously, eyes flicking to the remaining person in the room.

“Yes.” Tenshi nodded quickly. “Luka-san, meet our top artist, Hatsune Miku. Miku-chan, this is Teru-kun’s newest recruit, Megurine Luka.”

Miku stood and held out her hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Luka-san!” 


	5. Touring the Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miku gives her new kouhai a tour of the building.

Luka’s eyes widened in shock. This beautiful creature was going to be her mentor? Ankle-length aquamarine hair was tied up in two twintails atop the petite girl’s head, her thin, slightly slender body covered by a dark gray tank top and a black and white micro-miniskirt. Dark gray thigh-high boots finished the look and the girl’s cute smile brought it all together.

Luka felt faint.

Quelling the sudden influx of saliva in her mouth, the pinkette held out a trembling hand and shook with Miku. “A pleasure to meet you as well, Miku-senpai.” she said lowly.

“Miku-chan is going to be your mentor until you become successful enough for her to return to her own work full time.” Tenshi told her new client, glancing down at some of the papers in her hands. “She is going to give you a tour of the building today to familiarize you with the layout, then she is going to be working with you to help you learn what it takes to produce music, create music videos and prepare for concerts.”

Luka nodded to show her understanding and Miku bounced excitedly. “Tenshi-sama, if there’s nothing else that needs to be done, can Luka-san and I go?”

Both Kiyoteru and Tenshi chuckled at the greenette’s enthusiasm and Tenshi nodded. “Be gentle with her, Miku-chan.” She teased.

“Yeah, yeah, cause she’s new.” Miku beamed as she guided a shy Luka from the room. “See you tomorrow!”

Once the door shut behind them, Miku turned to Luka and chirped, “Shall we start with the fifth floor?”

“That’s… where production and recording is, right?” Luka asked tentatively.

“That’s right!” Miku responded, heading off in the direction of the stairs. “So, Luka-san, what do you sing? I usually do pop and love songs. Every Halloween, some of us do horror or mystery songs, too.”

“I… don’t actually have a style.” Luka told her. “I was singing a song I liked when Hiyama-sama found me.”

“That’s not uncommon.” Miku explained. “Many of us come in with no knowledge of what genre we want to sing for and, because of that, we actually end up singing for different ones because our tastes are so wide.” They arrived on the fifth floor and Miku grinned as she turned to her student. “Alright, Luka-kouhai, this is the floor in which all of the recording studios are.”

“Are all of the floors segregated?” Luka inquired curiously.

“That’s right!” her companion affirmed. “Recording and podcasts on this floor, video production on the floor above this one, Editing crews on the seventh floor and workrooms for performers on the eighth floor.” Entering one of the recording studios, Miku motioned for Luka to be quiet as a group was already inside. “For you, since you’re new, you won’t have to come into the studios until you have at least three songs finished. But, if ever you need to take a break, the people in the studios won’t be against you coming to observe them from time-to-time.”

Luka nodded and glanced into the booth, spotting a tall, muscular woman with a cat tattoo on her arm and a paw-print T-shirt on. Her voice wasn’t too high, but it had a smooth, husky tone to it. If Luka was honest, she enjoyed the sound of the voice and wouldn’t mind talking to the woman when she wasn’t singing. “This is Sakamoto Mew-san.” Miku explained as she turned to leave. “She’s one of the older singers here. And by older, I mean, she’s been here longer. She’s probably not much older than you.”

“That’s nice to know.” Luka murmured. “It’s nice to have people around my own age here as well.”

“I bet.” The smaller woman giggled, leading Luka up to the next floor. “But don’t worry, you might see her around the building every now and then. You seemed to really enjoy the song.”

“I didn’t really pay attention to it.” The pinkette admitted. “I really like her voice, though.”

“I’ll be sure to pass on the compliment when I see her next.” Miku laughed, leading her through the video production and beginning to point out different rooms. Luka tried to pay attention to each one, noting that most of them were currently shooting some type of video or other. Miku probably didn’t want to take her into those because they were filming.

Suddenly, a hand came down on her shoulder and Luka’s mind went into overdrive. Spinning on her toes, Luka brought a fist into the owner’s jaw, delivering another to his nose and a knee to his stomach. Bringing her arm over his back, she knocked him to the ground and placed a foot on his back while pulling one of his arms behind his back, growling down at him.

“Who are you?” she demanded, yanking the offender’s arm.

“I-I’m K-Kaito?” the blue-haired man responded, wincing in pain.

Luka glanced up at Miku for an explanation. The greenette slowly moved forward and placed a calming hand on her shoulder. “Luka-kouhai, Kaito-kun is one of Crypton’s singers. He’s a friend of mine. I’m sure he didn’t mean to startle you.”

The pinkette slowly released Kaito’s arm, backing off of him and eyeing him suspiciously. Just because Miku _called_ him a friend didn’t mean he _was_ a friend. The blunette held his nose to prevent bleeding with a small smile and turned to Luka and holding out his free hand. “Sorry about scaring you.” he said with a nervous chuckle. “I was just going to ask you about yourself since you looked new.”

Luka nodded, slowly shaking his hand. She still didn’t trust him, but he seemed nice enough. “I am new. I’m Miku-senpai’s new apprentice, Luka.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Luka-san.” Kaito grinned. Luka was taken aback by the greeting. _After what just happened… he can’t mean that…_ But Kaito seemed sincere. “Maybe we can talk sometime. If there’s anything you need help with and Miku miraculously doesn’t know it, I’d be glad to offer my assistance. Now, I had better grab some tissues and go check on Kupo-kun.”

“Tell him I said hello!” Miku called as Kaito strolled down the hall.

“I will!” the blunette turned and waved. “Nice to see you, Luka-san!”

Luka gave a hesitant wave before turning back to Miku. The greenette was gazing at her with a playful smile. “I take it you’re not used to people touching your shoulder?” she asked as they continued walking.

“I’ve been in too many fights because of someone ‘touching my shoulder’.” Luka replied quietly, her mind flashing to all the times she had been beaten by others who were trying to make a living. After a while, she had learned to defend herself against them from watching other women do it every now and then. None of them dared to return for her after that.

Miku hummed quietly before nodding and turning into a large room. “This is one of the filming studios.” she said cheerfully, as though the previous conversation hadn’t happened. “In the filming studio, we usually are able to do quite a bit. Because Crypton specializes in media performers, actors also film their shows here. It’s used to film television shows, movies, music videos, the like. If it goes on TV, we usually film it… except the news. Even Crypton doesn’t have the funds for that.”

Luka laughed at the joke and took a look around the studio. She had never seen anything with so many cameras. There were lights high above, a lot of different computers off to one side of the room and most of it was left wide open with a large green screen behind it. Luka wondered what it would be like to be doing a music video on something like that, especially with a lot of other dancers too.

Miku watched her from near the doorway as Luka knelt and touched the green screen curiously, feeling the material. The pinkette had expected some type of fabric, but it was like a regular screen. It had the feeling of being coated in a thin layer of plastic, though. _This feels so surreal._ Luka thought as she took one last look around before rejoining Miku. Her mentor cast her a grin and Luka returned it.

Miku turned to continue the tour and Luka followed after her. “This place is so crowded.” the pinkette murmured softly, watching as more people flowed around them.

“Not used to seeing so many people?” Miku asked, casting a sideways glance to her.

“No. I… I don’t go near crowded places often.” Luka replied.

“We’ll have to get you used to it then.” Miku mused, tapping her chin. “There are _a lot_ of people here at Crypton. Anyway, onwards to upstairs.”

Luka smiled and followed her guide up to the next floor. Miku glanced around and her eyebrows furrowed before she turned and continued leading Luka up the stairs. “Is something wrong with the floor?” Luka asked uncertainly.

“It would be rude and insensitive of me to take you onto such a crowded floor when you just told me that you’re not comfortable in crowded places.” Miku explained with her ever-present smile. “So, we’re heading right to the workrooms!”

Luka felt her chest flutter at the acknowledgement and followed Miku to the next floor. This one was completely devoid of people as far as Luka could tell. Miku hummed softly as she examined the rooms. “Let’s see, Tenshi-sama told me which one wouldn’t be in use… Ah!” Miku stopped in front of a room and beamed at Luka. The pinkette glanced to the door in confusion before looking back to Miku.

Opening the door, Miku turned to Luka with a wide sweep of her arm and stated proudly, “This is your new workroom!”


	6. Getting Settled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily tells Luka a bit about her new home.

The room was bare, to say the least. It only held the essentials, like a desk, a mini-fridge and a couch. Luka glanced to the side and found a door leading off and guessed that it was either a bathroom or a connection to the next room over.

Turning back to her mentor, the pinkette nodded. Miku tapped her chin as she glanced around. “Tomorrow, we’re going to go over your plans for the day, so be sure to meet me back here, alright, Luka-kouhai?” Miku told her with a beaming smile.

Luka had to remind herself to breathe as she gazed at that smile and replied, “Of course, Miku-senpai. Is there… a specific time you wish to see me?”

Miku hummed in thought for a moment. “Since I’m only on a part time schedule while mentoring you, why don’t we meet tomorrow afternoon at one? That gives you enough time to reacquaint yourself with the building and I’ll be able to get some of my tasks out of the way as well.”

“As you wish.” Luka dipped her head, mostly to cover her slight blush at uttering the cheesy phrase. Miku took no notice and turned in place. “We’ll have to get you some decorations.” She murmured. “And some instruments. Do you play?”

Her companion nodded quickly. “Cello, violin, piano, bass, drums, flute and clarinet.”

Miku’s eyes widened in shock before another grin split her lips. “Wow, you play almost as much as I do! That’s great! That means that you’ll be able to help the composers create the music more easily. Tomorrow, we’ll use the music room, then, just in case a melody comes to you before lyrics.”

“Alright.” Luka conceded, following as Miku led her out.

“Why don’t you head back to your apartment?” the tealette told her. “And I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Thank you, Miku-senpai.” Luka responded, beginning to make her way to the ninth floor. Checking the knob, it occurred to the pinkette that she didn’t have a key and resolved to ask Lily for a spare. Finding the door unlocked, she strode inside and shut the door behind her.

“Hey!” Lily called from the couch, not glancing up from her magazine. “I’m ordering pizza for dinner. Anything in particular you want?”

Luka paused a moment before replying, “It’s been a while since I had pizza. I just know I don’t like anchovies.”

“Sounds reasonable enough.” Lily nodded. “I’ll get pepperoni then.”

Luka nodded and walked over, settling onto the couch beside the blonde. Lily glanced up from her magazine and cocked her head. “So, how did your first day go?”

Luka shrugged. “I met my mentor and got a tour of the building. I even have a workroom of my own.”

“Yeah, you’re one of the lucky ones.” Lily chuckled. “Usually, they give newcomers workrooms with each other, which can become hectic. And let me guess, your mentor is Cul-chan?”

“Who?” Luka’s eyebrows knitted in confusion.

“Okay, not Cul.” Lily hummed as she tapped her chin. “Did they give you Mew-chan? She seems like she would be a nice fit for you.”

“No.” Luka repeated.

Lily shook her head with a chuckle. “Alright then, not Mew. What about Gakupo-kun?”

Luka simply stared at her dumbly and Lily sighed, raising her hands in defeat. “Okay, I’ll bite. Who is your mentor?”

“Hatsune Miku-senpai.” Luka responded, a subtle blush coming to her cheeks at the thought of her mentor.

Lily stared at her in shock. “They gave you Miku-chan as a mentor?” she exclaimed, making Luka cringe slightly. “Sorry. But they hardly ever assign Miku-chan as a mentor. I think the last time they did was eight months ago and she was mentoring IA-san.”

“Then, I am honored to have Miku-senpai as a mentor.” Luka shifted before asking, “So… who is she exactly? And all of the other people you mentioned? I watched Mew sing earlier, but the others...”

The blonde turned to face the pinkette fully and began the long explanation, mentioning how Mew was one of the oldest out of all of them, but had somehow managed to stay relevant. Cul was an older performer as well, but still new enough to be relevant with audiences. IA was also fairly recent, nearly as much as Lily herself and was steadily rising with Lily and a few others. Miku wasn’t as old as Cul, but wasn’t new to the business by any aspect.

“She’s Japan’s Top Idol.” Lily told her roommate. “She’s been at the top of the charts since she joined us two years ago. Back then, critics tried to put her down for being fourteen and up and coming. Miku-chan showed them what she was made of and now, instead of saying she’s too young, the critics are wondering if there will ever be a talent that could possibly surpass her.”

Luka had listened with rapt attention, taking in all of the details Lily had told her and now she glanced down at her hands in wonder. “Wow. They all seem quite talented.”

“They are.” Lily nodded her agreement. “But you’ve nothing to worry about, Luka-san. Crypton very rarely loses artists. If you ever hit a point where your inspiration is running low, they even let you work with other songwriters to keep you going.”

“Really?” Pink hair fluttered as Luka lifted her head to gaze at her new friend. “That doesn’t sound like something I would expect of a performance company.”

“Crypton’s different than a lot of other performance companies.” Lily chuckled, getting up to make the call for pizza. “They actually care about their performers. And even though they milk us for every cent we’re worth, they still are a pretty good company.”

Luka pondered over this as Lily dialed the pizza parlor, placing their order and asking for a few sides, remembering how hungry Luka had been earlier. The pinkette stared at the ceiling as she wondered how long she would last at Crypton. Could she really last as long as Mew and Cul? Could she rise up like Miku and IA did? She sighed softly and shook her head. The least she could do was try.

Lily returned to the couch and resumed reading her magazine while Luka simply sat back and allowed her thoughts to consume her. She was still shocked at the events of the day. Only ten hours ago, she had been out on the streets, covered in the same rags she’d been wearing for five years and starving for something to eat. Ten hours ago, she had been another nameless, faceless person trying to simply live without interference. Ten hours ago she had been no one, someone unimportant without a place to stay or anyone to care for her.

How had ten simple hours changed that? Her recruiter had been ecstatic to see her, her new manager wanted to be her confidante, her new mentor was willing to help her make something of herself and her new roommate… Luka cast a sideways glance to Lily, feeling as if she remembered her from somewhere, but she couldn’t remember if they had ever met before. She hadn’t seen anyone from school since she had started out on the streets, so she knew she and Lily hadn’t been friends in high school.

 _Maybe she just reminds me of someone from school_. Luka mused. _If that’s the case, then it’s been so long since I’ve seen anyone from Yamaha High that I can’t even remember them anymore._

“Pizza’s here!” Lily called, shutting their apartment door. Luka started, turning to the blonde as she brought in a large pizza and set it down on the table. Luka had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn’t even seen Lily get up. Standing, the pinkette made her way to the table and sat opposite the blonde, who had reclaimed her magazine. As Luka reached for a slice of pizza, Lily looked up and asked, “So, what was your life like? You know, before you ended up on the streets?”

Luka shifted and turned her gaze up to the ceiling, contemplatively. Lily noticed her expression and added, “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to. I just want to know more about you. You know, interests and hobbies and stuff. We’re going to be roomies for a while, so I figured we could try that whole bonding thing Hiyama-sama is always trying to get me to do with the other Vocaloids.”

“Vocaloids?” Luka cocked her head in confusion.

“That’s what performers of Crypton are called. Someone equated people employed by Crypton to Vocal Androids because it’s like we never die out and after a while, someone else created the portmanteau, Vocaloid. Crypton coined the term and that’s what we’ve been called since.”

Luka cocked her head, trying to remember such a term. Eyebrows furrowing a moment, she asked, “Furukawa Miki?”

“Pardon?” Lily mumbled through a mouth of cheese.

“I remember an artist from five years ago. Furukawa Miki. I enjoyed listening to her music…”

“Ah, Miki-san.” Lily nodded. “She moved a little while ago, headed to America to check the place out. She never said when she’d be coming back, but she stays in contact to see how things are going here at Crypton. I could introduce you sometime if you want.”

Luka’s eyes lit up. “That would be cool.” She murmured, finally biting into the slice she had taken as Lily worked on her second. “I wonder if I’ll meet any other Vocaloids here.”

“Oh, it’s definite.” Lily shrugged. “See, once a month, all of the Vocaloids get together for a dinner in one of the large conference rooms. We all bring food to it so that everyone has a variety to choose from and we just talk about how our careers have been going or what the media’s been saying about us.”

Her companion hummed, swallowing her food and reaching for another piece and asked, “So, interviews and talk shows happen?”

“Yeah.” Lily tossed the magazine to the couch and focused on the pizza and Luka. “The number of interviews and talk shows you get depend on how famous you are. Miku-chan gets one every few days while up and coming artists, like myself, only get one a week.”

“Oh.” The pinkette sank in relief at that, not certain she was ready for that level of excitement yet. “That’s good.”

“Don’t worry.” Lily chuckled, sitting back and nibbling on her third or fourth piece. “It’s something you get used to. You just need to have a good schedule and everything will fall into place with a bit of room for flexibility.”

Luka nodded and released a yawn, glancing to the large clock on the wall. “I think I’ll head to bed. This has been a lot to take in.”

“Alright.” Lily agreed. “I’ll lend you one of my nightgowns. I don’t use them much, but they should fit you.”

“Do you have any long-sleeved ones?” Luka asked, remembering the scars on her arms.

“Yeah. I imagine being outside all the time has made you more susceptible to the cold.” Lily stood and stretched, grinning. “Come on, I’ll show you where your room is.” Luka stood, following her roommate down the short hallway to the two bedrooms in the back. Lily turned to the right and beckoned Luka forward. “This one is yours.”

Luka stepped inside and found all of the basics waiting for her. A large bed between the two windows, a nightstand beside the bed, a chest of drawers placed against one wall beside the closet, a small work desk and chair set against the opposite wall and even a lamp filled the space provided and the pinkette nodded as Lily stepped to the room across from her own.

The blonde was back within seconds with a long-sleeved black nightgown and Luka took it gratefully. “Thank you, Lily-san.”

“No problem.” Her roommate shrugged, turning back towards her own room. “Night, Luka-san.”

The pinkette receded back into her new room and quickly changed, shutting the curtains on her windows and draping the clothes Lily had given her across the back of the chair. Slipping under the blanket provided, Luka slowly settled down for sleep, looking forward to tomorrow.

…

_Everything was dark, but she could feel their stares. They were gazing at her with malice, moving closer, creeping toward their prey. She had only been out here a few days after it happened and she didn’t know how to get food. She was starving and cold, weakened from this sudden change in her life. She was defenseless, unable to protect herself against this new enemy._

_The first blow came quickly, too fast for her to see. She was on the ground in seconds and their laughter rang in her ears as more blows rained down on her, their hard boots kicking at her ribs as they beat her mercilessly. **Why?** She thought, screaming out for help. **What have I done?** _

_The onslaught lasted a few minutes until she finally played unconscious and they grew bored. Giving one last kick to her back, they sauntered off, confident that they had put her in her place. She slowly sat up, clutching her tattered jacket closer to herself and reaching a hand up to wipe at the tears still streaming from her eyes. Spitting out a bit of blood, she staggered to her face, beginning to limp away. If she stayed, they could come back for her and she was none too interested in being a punching bag again._

_Finding an alley a sufficient distance away, she collapsed behind a trashcan and allowed the pain to lull her into a numbing sleep. When she next awoke, a harsh bright light was shining in her eyes and someone was shaking her vigorously, jostling the bruises she had received the night before. She had needed to move quickly as her savior—if she could refer to him as such—informed her of the rats that infested this area. She had spent the rest of the day traveling, sticking to the shadows and avoiding as many people as possible to allow her wounds to heal._

_It had been a long day and when she finally settled into another alley far from where she had woke up. Leaning against a wall, she allowed herself to breathe, her chest heaving from the constant travel and continued lack of food. Just as she was drifting into another hunger-plagued sleep, the barking of a dog jolted her up and she turned. Someone was yelling at her. They were yelling for her to move, several obscenities falling from their tongue as the dog continued barking. She tried pleading with them, but they refused to back down and when she tried once more, they released the dog from its leash._

_She was too tired to move, too tired to even put her arms up in defense. The pounding of paws filled her ears as the glinting white teeth came at her, closer and closer. She felt tears stream down her cheeks as she awaited the fatal bite, the dog’s claws shining in the dim streetlights as it leaped for her._

“NO!” Luka jerked awake to someone shaking her. Swinging her arm out reflexively, she just barely avoided slamming her elbow into Lily’s eye. The blonde lifted up from where she had ducked out of eye-harming range and cautiously watched the pinkette. Luka gasped for breath, reaching a hand over to turn on the bedside lamp so she could get her bearings.

“W-what’s going on?” she asked, looking around to affirm that she was indeed still in her new room at Crypton.

“That’s my question.” Lily mumbled sleepily. “You were screaming like a maniac, begging someone to leave you alone and telling them it wasn’t your fault.”

Luka’s face fell, her head lowering so she was staring at the bedspread, her fingers clutching tight to the blanket. Lily noticed the sudden uneasiness and sighed, sitting on the bed and taking the pinkette into her arms. Luka gasped in surprise, but Lily simply shrugged it off, settling them both back against the pillows.

“Look,” the blonde huffed, beginning to stroke the pink locks while staring hard at the ceiling to mask her own embarrassment. “You don’t have to tell me what’s going on, but I can’t do this every night. I’ll let this time slide, but tomorrow, if you’re not too busy with Miku-chan, I’m taking you shopping for a stuffed animal.”

“W-why?” Luka whimpered, snuggling into the welcome warmth.

“Because if tonight proves successful, then that means you need to hold something to keep the nightmares away.” Lily sighed and shifted into a more comfortable position, still holding Luka close. “I’d rather you get a good night’s rest. I don’t have to know what happened out on the streets, but I would rather not see you crash and burn so soon into getting here.”

Luka nodded, slowly closing her eyes. Lily’s warmth was definitely helping her, so she allowed herself to relax, letting the scent of lemons and honey soothe her into sleepiness once more. “Thank you.” The pinkette murmured, just before drifting off.

Lily smiled down at her new roommate, chuckling as she shook her head. _Man, I must be going soft._ She scolded herself mockingly. _I’ve just met her and already I’m comforting her like we’ve been old friends._ Lily cocked her head down at Luka and found that she did somewhat recognize the girl, though she was hard pressed to remember from where. Deciding that it was too late at night for such trivialities, the blonde settled down for sleep, drifting off moments later.


End file.
